Illuminated umbrella or parasol

ABSTRACT

An illuminated umbrella or parasol (1) is described, in which there are two coaxial light conductors (not shown) within the umbrella stick (2). The inner light conductor supplies light to the central region of the cover (3), to a number of further light conductors in the ribs (4) terminated by light-spreading rib caps (11), and to a lightspreading top spike (12), while the outer light conductor supplies light to the peripheral region of the cover (3). Emphasis on the illumination may be switched between the two coaxial light conductors by means of optical means (not shown) in the handle (7), controlled by a manually slideable button (36), said handle (7) also containing the requisite batteries, a light light bulb and a lens and/or a reflector (not shown), the switching e.g. being achieved by altering the position of the bulb.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to an umbrella or a parasol of the kindset forth in the preamble of claim 1.

BACKGROUND ART

U.S. Pat. No. 3,275,815 describes umbrellas or parasols of this kind, inwhich the inside of the cover is illuminated by means of a singlelight-spreading device, the latter being supplied with light through alight conductor leading from the source of light, usually abattery-powered electric bulb situated in or near the handle of theumbrella or parasol. The use of a single light-spreading device has,however, proved insufficient to provide a reasonably uniformillumination of the whole of the inside of the cover.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

It is the object of the present invention to provide an umbrella or aparasol of the kind referred to above, in which it is possible to obtaina more uniform illumination of the inside of the cover than previouslypossible, and this object is achieved with an umbrella or a parasol,according to the present invention further exhibiting the features setforth in the characterizing clause of the claim 1. With thisarrangement, the inside of the cover is illuminated by two mutuallyindependent light-spreading devices, making it substantially easier toprovide a uniform illumination of the inside of the cover.

Advantageous embodiments of the umbrella or parasol according to thepresent invention, the effects of which are explained in the followingdetailed portion of the present specification, are set forth in claims2-10.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the following detailed specification the present invention isexplained with reference to the drawings in which

FIG. 1 is an overall view of an exemplary embodiment of an illuminatedumbrella according to the present invention, shown in elevation andpartly in section,

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view showing the transition regionbetween the outer light conductor and the associated reflectingsurfaces,

FIG. 3 shows the reflecting surfaces shown in FIG. 2 as viewed frombelow,

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view showing the transition regionbetween the inner light conductor, the reflecting surfaces associatedtherewith and further means supplied with light from these reflectingsurfaces,

FIG. 4a shows the member according to FIG. 4 carrying thelight-reflecting surfaces, viewed from below, and

FIGS. 5 and 6 are diagrammatic vertical sectional views showing thelower ends of the light conductors and the light source with the latterselectric light bulb in two different positions.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The umbrella 1 shown in FIG. 1 comprises in the usual manner an umbrellastick 2 and a cover 3, the latter being held in the open position shownby a number of ribs 4 supported by struts 5 on a slide 6, with which thecover 3 may be collapsed in the usual manner by moving the slide 6towards the handle 7.

In the exemplary embodiment of an umbrella according to the presentinvention shown in FIG. 1, the handle 7 comprises a battery (not shown),an electric light bulb 8, a reflector 9 and a lens 10, the latter threeitems being shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.

The exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1 also comprises various opticalmeans to be described below, with which

light may be projected onto the inside of the cover 3 in the central andperipheral regions thereof,

light may be conducted through the ribs 4 to a number of light-spreadingrib caps 11, and

light may be conducted to a light-spreading top spike 12.

As may be seen especially from FIGS. 2, 5 and 6, the umbrella accordingto the present invention comprises an inner light conductor 13, andcoaxial therewith an outer light conductor 14.

The output end 15 of the outer light conductor 14 is adapted to emitlight towards a number of concave reflecting surfaces 16 adapted toreflect the light from said output end 15 towards the non-centralregions of the umbrella cover 3. In order to make the angle 17, throughwhich the light is distributed in the vertical direction (i.e. parallelto the stick 2), smaller than the angle 18, through which the light isdistributed in the peripheral direction, so as to ensure a reasonablyuniform illumination of the cover 3 with a minimum of light lost belowits edge, the concave reflecting surfaces are shaped with a dualcurvature, making them "astigmatic". By comparing FIGS. 2 and 3, it willbe seen that this astigmatism produces two focal points, i.e. a"vertical" focal point 19 and a "horizontal" focal point 20, the latterbeing markedly closer to the common optical axis 21 than the former.

While the outer light conductor 14 terminates with its output end 15roughly at the same level as the top of the slide 6 in its top positionshown in FIG. 1, the inner light conductor 13 continues upwards to apoint considerably closer to the top of the cover 3, where it isterminated by an output end 22, the latter in the exemplary embodimentshown being composed of a central plane portion 23 and a peripheralfrusto-conical portion 24 (please note, that the scale of FIG. 4 istwice that of FIGS. 2 and 3, the scale of the two latter again beingtwice that of FIGS. 5 and 6). The light emanating from the peripheralsurface 24 is reflected by a number of concave reflecting surfaces 25,thus being spread outwardly and upwardly and distributed through a"vertical" angle 26 to illuminate the central region of the cover 3shown in FIG. 1.

At this point it should be noted that the hollow member 27, on which theconcave reflecting surface 25 are formed, is shown in FIG. 4 with itsupper and lower portions lying above and below a horizontal plane 28respectively mutually rotated through a small angle about the opticalaxis 21 for reasons which will appear below.

The concave reflecting surfaces 25 are formed on a number of "teeth" 29.As may be seen when viewing FIG. 4a in conjunction with FIG. 4, theinterstices between adjacent teeth 29 permit some of the light from theoutput end 22 to reach a further set of concave reflecting surfaces 30formed on the upper end of said hollow member 27 and adapted to reflectthis light into the input ends 31 of a number of light conductors 32,the output ends 33 of which are surrounded by end caps 11 of transparentor translucent material capable of spreading the light received from theoutput ends 33. The light conductors 32 are preferably adapted to extendalongside or inside the umbrella ribs 4 shown in FIG. 1, the end caps 11in the latter case also constituting the rib caps adapted in the usualmanner (not shown) to fasten the cover 3 to the individual ribs 4.

The concave reflecting surfaces 25 and/or 30 shown in FIG. 4 may have adual curvature (be "astigmatic") in the same manner as described abovewith reference to the concave reflecting surfaces 16 shown in FIG. 2 and3.

As shown in FIG. 4, light from the central plane portion 23 of theoutput end 22 on the inner light conductor 13 may flow through thecentral cavity 35 in the hollow member 27 to the lower end of the topspike 12, the latter being made of transparent or translucent materialand suitably adapted to radiate the light thus received from the innerlight conductor 13.

In FIG. 4, both the top spike 12 and the end caps 11 are shown asconsisting of translucent material, which is known to distribute lightreceived in a diffuse manner. It should, however, be noted that thesebodies may consist of transparent material with matt surfaces, thisgiving aproximately the same effect. For the sake of good order, itshould also be mentioned that the term "light conductor" is used hereinto denote a body of transparent material with an input end and an outputend and with such a shape between these ends, that substantially totalinternal reflection occurs at the external surfaces between said ends.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show how the light from the electric light bulb 8 may bedirected mainly towards the outer light conductor 14 (FIG. 5) or towardsthe inner light conductor 13 (FIG. 6). The change is effected by axiallymoving the light bulb 8 from the position shown in FIG. 5 to theposition shown in FIG. 6, the light bulb 8 preferably being mechanicallyconnected in a manner not shown to a focus button 36 on the handle 7shown in FIG. 1. Thus by shifting the light bulb 8 from the positionshown in FIG. 5 to the one shown in FIG. 6 it is possible to change theemphasis of the illumination from the non-central region of the cover 3to the central region of this cover together with the rib caps 11 andthe top spike 12. Instead of the single movable light bulb 8 shown inFIGS. 5 and 6, it is also possible to use two separate light bulbsadapted to be activated alternately or simultaneously.

FIGS. 2-6 make no pretence of showing geometrically exactly the shapesof the various optically active surfaces, suchs as those on the concavereflecting surfaces 16, 24 and 30, the input and output ends of thevarious light conductors, and the surfaces of the reflector 9 and thelens 10. A person with basic knowledge in optics will, however, be ableto choose the correct shape of the surfaces in question and/or thematerial to be used.

Apart from the stick 2, the cover 3, the ribs 4, the struts 5 and theslide 6, the drawing does not show the mechanical parts of the umbrella1 according to the present invention. On the basis of the presentspecification a skilled person will, however, be able to design andconstruct these mechanical parts in a suitable manner to enable them tofulfil their functions, but it may be mentioned that a metal tube 37 inthe space between the inner and outer light conductors 13 and 14respectively may be used to make the umbrella stick 2 sufficientlyrigid. When assembling the umbrella care should be taken to orient theconcave reflecting surfaces 16 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 in such a mannerrelative to the axis 21 that the light reflected from these surfaces isnot obstructed by the struts 5.

The handle 7 may comprise a translucent or transparent zone 38 thatallows some of the light from the bulb 8 to radiate through this zone.

If desired, the rib caps 11, the top spike 12 and/or the zone 38 on thehandle 7 may comprise fluorescent material, such as of the kindcontinuing to radiate light for some time when it is no longer beingirradiated itself.

Instead of the top spike 12 it is possible to use a member comprisingreflecting surfaces adapted to reflect light received through thecentral cavity 35 in a downward direction so as to illuminate the upperside of the cover 3. A combination of the two could also be used.

I claim:
 1. An umbrella or parasol of the kind comprising:a) a lightsource placed close to or in a handle of the umbrella or parasol, b) atleast one elongated light conductor extending from an input end close toor adjacent said light source in the direction towards a cover of theumbrella or parasol, and c) at least one light-spreading means adaptedto guide the light transmitted from said light source by said lightconductor or conductors away from the latter, characterized by d) atleast two light conductors, of which d1) a first light conductor extendsto within a short distance below the cover and is adapted to directlight towards first light-spreading means situated close to and belowsaid cover and adapted to direct light received from said first lightconductor towards a central region of the inside of said cover, and d2)a second light conductor extends to a point at a greater distance belowthe cover and is adapted to direct light towards second light-spreadingmeans adapted to direct light received from said second light conductortowards regions outside said central region of the inside of said cover.2. An umbrella or parasol according to claim 1, characterized ina) thatthe two light conductors are coaxial with each other with the firstwithin the second, and b) that at least one of the light conductors isadapted to direct light generally axially from its output end towardssaid light-spreading means which is in the form of a set of reflectorsadapted to reflect the light generally radially outwards.
 3. An umbrellaor parasol according to claim 1, characterized by third light-spreadingmeans situated between the cover and said first light-spreading meansand adapted to direct light received from the latter towards inwardlyfacing input ends of a set of third light conductors, the outwardlyfacing output ends of which are situated close to an outer free edge ofthe cover and are optically connected to light-spreading means.
 4. Anumbrella or parasol according to claim 2, characterized in that the setof reflectors associated with the output end of the first lightconductor consists of two sub-sets, viz.a) a first sub-set in which thereflectors are distributed about an optical axis of the first lightconductor with light-permeable interstices between them, and b) a secondsub-set at a greater distance from said first light conductor than saidfirst sub-set, and in which the reflectors are distributed about saidoptical axis and situated in positions to receive light reaching themfrom an output end of the first light conductor through saidlight-permeable interstices.
 5. An umbrella or parasol according toclaim 2, characterized in that each set of reflectors comprises a numberof concave reflecting surfaces.
 6. An umbrella or parasol according toclaim 5, characterized in that at least some of said concave reflectingsurfaces have such a focal width, that parallel rays from the outputends of the associated light conductors are made to cross each other atpoints lying a short distance from the reflecting surfaces.
 7. Anumbrella or parasol according to claim 6, characterized in that at leastsome of said concave reflecting surfaces have a dual curvature (areastigmatic) in such a manner, that said points of crossing appear closerto said optical axis when viewed in a direction parallel to said axis(e.g. FIG. 3) than when viewed at right angles to it (e.g. FIG. 4). 8.An umbrella or parasol according to claim 2, characterized by a toplight-spreading means extending above the cover said top light-spreadingmeans being adapted to receive light from the output end of said firstlight conductor, e.g. through a central hole in a member carrying thereflecting surfaces associated with the first light conductor.
 9. Anumbrella or parasol according to claim 2, characterized in thatconnecting means optically connecting the light source to input ends ofthe light conductors at least partially consists of transparent ortranslucent material in such a manner, that light from the light sourcemay emanate from its external surface between the light source and saidinput ends.
 10. An umbrella or parasol according to claim 1,characterized in that the light source comprises a light bulb and acollecting lens placed between said light bulb and input ends of saidlight conductors, the distance between said light bulb and saidcollecting lens along the latters' optical axis being adjustable bymeans of a manual control member in such a manner, that the light fromsaid lens strikes the input end of either of the light conductors.